Originally Posted On a Myspace Profile Blog -- November 23rd, 2008.
I was once again accosted by a bible believing Christian, in an off myspace website.
it was a discussion about why certain people get offended when you say "Christian Mythology", If you look at the word Mythology the definition is a collection of stories - so a collection of stories in a myth. as Christianity is a collection of stories that makes it myth ala' Christian Mythology.
Now we weren't just picking on Christianity, as we made reference that all religion and all religious ideas are a collection that makes up myth - we have the Greek mythology, the Roman Mythology, etc. and so forth. all of these religions have their own unique tenets that collectively make up it's mythology.
-Well as the conversation continued, and the bible was mentioned I gave my usual speel. and got this in return.
Mark M.Paul, I don't know if you believe in a god, but if you do, he certainly isn't a very big or great one. My God is the Living God and His Word is also alive. He is eternal and so is His Word. . .
He is able to make Himself known (revelation). . .He is able to use fallible men, men who normally err to record for all time an infallible and inerrant scripture (inspiration). . . For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:21
*continued Wall-O Bible Quotes*
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And well, here is my reply once more for all the nay-saying people out there:
Paul R.
Mark, I believe in a god, Lots of gods actually. All of them as a matter of fact. I think that if someone chooses to believe in at least one then that means we can't dismiss the possibilities of the other's existing. that doesn't mean you have to worship all the other ones, you can still worship the one of your choosing or the specific pantheon of your choosing, but you can't dismiss the other ones.
the gods are eternal, a cosmic life force, there are mythologoical stories of the gods that predate Christianity by a millennium. or quite possibly longer.
I do not think any of the gods are at odds with each other, I think they all work together for the betterment of humankind, giving us different lessons, in different language and cultural specific ways. for all of us to be able to comprehend and to learn. Not everyone is going to experience God, The Divine in the same way, its too personal of an experience. its just like dreaming we all dream in a different way, like learning - we all learn in a different way, like holding an opinion - we all have different ones, like comprehending - we all comprehend differently. and I think the many options are out there , the different gods and different religions - to help reach people who dream,learn, experience, comprehend, and hold differing opinions - to help reach them in their own way on their own terms.
If you study comparative religion at all, you would find that the core beliefs are shared among all the faiths, to love God, to Love Ourselves, To Love Of Friends and Family, to Love Strangers, To Love Humankind, to Take care and Provide for the Earth the place in which we live, To do good deeds and use right action and judgment, and have faith and be rewarded on the other side of the veil.
as I said I believe in many gods, but I don't think they are against one another.
Think of a Cosmic Justice League if you will, YAHWEH is Superman, Odin is Batman, Saturn is the Flash, Isis is Wonder Woman..etc. and so forth. all the gods set around a conference room holding meetings on how to better help the earth and those living on it understand that which cannot be understood.
I believe in the plurality of the divine, that it is comprised of masculine energies, and feminine energy. god and goddess - many gods and goddesses, and though these gods are individual and unique they are connected at a universal-divine source, it is something that is beyond our human ability to comprehend. - the Justice League of the gods if you will.
Mostly when I say God, unless I qualify with a name of a specific deity, I am talking about this cosmic universal divine and eternal life giving force. when I pray and worship, I honor the Divine -Universal as a whole, I will call to a specific deity if I feel a need, or have a specific purpose or goal in mind.
However, I am a realist, and I know that any divinely inspired poetic writing we have out there, and bibles that are out there, any holy text from any and all the religions that are out there - they are simply our (mans) interpretation, they come from our pens, and our scribes. Oh, I'll read them because, unless you can tap into the collective unconscious within ourselves and communicate with the divine - these writings are all we have to tell us about the nature of the gods. of course, even though I read it and get inspiration and encouragement from the eclectic holy books of the world - I do not hold one superior to any other. they are all pretty much equal in my eyes.
Mark, I am a "Universalist" - Eclectic Neo-Pagan (Influenced by modern Pagan religions such as Wicca and Asatru, and older ones, from Egyptian, Celtic, Roman, Greek, and Norse Mythology.) A Polytheist who believes in the dual nature of the divine (god and goddess) With influence from the New-Age movement, Western Occultism (Occult = hidden/secret knowledge), Mysticism, and I also have gnostic tendencies. Oh, and Carl Jung and His Archetypal ideas and other psychological prospective's totally rock!
I read and Study the teachings of Christ, but through a gnostic lens, and with a global universal mindset. I get the message, but different then the fundamentalists.
when Christ said I am the way,the truth, and the life. No one gets to the father except by me......well he did say that, but if you study that passage, and know anything about literary endeavors - you can see that Jesus was talking in the third person - in fact Jesus talked in the 3rd person a lot. Why is this? It is my belief that is was not Jesus himself speaking - but the Christ essence...the Spirit of Christ and of the Divine speaking through him.
I think he was saying without the spirit of the divine within you, you won't get to see or feel god (the divine) obviously - just like if you have the lights turned off you can't see the chair your about to run into.
I think that "The Christ" is a spirit that we all possess or can tap into, the Christ is not a person, I think Jesus was a very enlightened teacher who had the "Christ Spirit" and who may or may not have had some sort of divine origin.
"the Christ" to me is the christian version of Enlightenment or the Gnosis.
Without Enlightenment we cannot become better individuals.
but even I think that non-theists can have the spirit of enlightenment, or "The Christ" Spirit within them.
Thank you for your time.
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